One of the least talked about struggles of studying abroad is applying for a student visa. Unlike passports, obtaining a visa is a long, tedious process that cannot be expedited. Before you start dreaming about living in another country and traveling around the world… plan out how you are going to get this done. The visa application program differs depending on where you study abroad, so make sure you check with your abroad counselor as well as with your local consulate.

What is a student Visa?

In order to visit another country for longer than 90 days, you must have government approval. For students, this is approved as a “student visa.” In order to get your visa accepted, you must go through an application process and provide proof that you are enrolled in a school in your host country. This being said, you cannot apply for a visa before getting admitted to your program.

How do I get it?

There are a few different ways to apply for a visa, but each one of these takes time. Every country offers various ways of obtaining a visa, some stricter than others. Depending on the country you study abroad in, they will have you attend an application center or make an appointment at a consulate. Visa’s take about 6-8 weeks to be processed so make sure you take this into consideration when making an appointment.

1.) Make an appointment at your local consulate.

Months before you plan on traveling abroad, go online and make an appointment at the consulate, in the state of your home school. For example, if you go to the University of Texas and are planning on traveling to Barcelona make sure you make an appointment at the Spanish embassy in Texas. This is not always emphasized and has caused so many issues for students. These appointments need to be booked MONTHS in advance, as they fill up fast. Applying at a consulate is the cheapest option since you are not going through anyone else.

2.) Visa Application Center

Some countries give you the option to apply for a visa at application centers. If this is the case for you, the process is way less stressful, but should still be taken seriously. (Spain does not allow this). This being said, make sure you get an appointment and give yourself enough time for it to be processed and sent to you.

3.) Travel Visa Services

Many abroad programs offer visa programs that make it easy for students to apply. This can be pretty costly but is generally the easiest option. You will be required to send in all the paperwork along with your passport and proof of residency. They handle the rest and then mail you back your passport and vias. BUT, the process takes longer than other options AND means you will not have a passport for about two months. This being said, do not plan on traveling or leaving the country during that time because it will not be possible. (This happened to me and it sucked) Again, make sure you are proactive and give yourself enough time to send in all the required material.

Things to Consider

You will not be allowed to travel abroad without a visa. I have heard actual horror stories about students not being able to go because they didn’t figure out their visa situation. You don’t want to be one of those kids. Make sure you give yourself time and plan appointments far in advance. Although your study abroad coordinator might think she is giving you the correct information, double check with your local embassy that you are following the correct procedures.

Now that the weather has started to warm up, I packed up some bathing suits and made my way to the islands of Spain. My first stop: Mallorca. I flew out of Barcelona, so it was a quick 40-minute flight and cost me about 40 euro… roundtrip. Yes, you read that right. Because I decided to travel here in March, a lot of the island was still closed for winter. This also meant not a lot of tourists. We were still able to find amazing restaurants, great beaches and a ton of good outdoor terraces for cocktails. What I didn’t know before my trip was that the island is pretty spread out, so I recommend renting a car! We spent way too much money on taxis.

This being said, do not consolidate yourself to one city. Here is a list of places in Mallorca that are worth seeing.

Towns

1. Palma – The heart of Mallorca and the biggest city on the island. Here you will find a bunch of hotels, shopping spots and places to eat. From experience, this area does not have the most beautiful beaches but it is a convenient area to be close to.

2. Port de Sóller – Hands down, my favorite part of Mallorca. Talk about a cute little town filled with amazing stores, great vibes and really yummy food. It is picturesque and totally worth the trip. Make sure you give yourself a few hours in this little town because it is definitely worth it.

3. Soller – This area is about 40 minutes outside of Palma, but they offer cheap trains that will take you across the island for really cheap.

4. Cala Figuera – Tiny little town with the most amazing beaches. Not much to do other than explore and layout but it’s so beautiful.

Restaurants

We spent most of the trip laying out and eating snacks, so we did not attend that many sit down meals. Two of these restaurants we went to and were awesome, and the rest I was highly recommended.

Max Garden

Il Paradiso

Ola Del Mar

Sakana Sushi

Nola

Temple Natura

Beaches

All across the island, there are beautiful beaches. Some offer crystal clear water, while others are better for tanning and relaxing. Although I obviously could not get to them all, these are a few that you should definitely see.

Playa de Cala Pi

Illetas

Cala d’Or Cala Llamp

Port de Pollença

Cala Mondragó

Activities

To be totally honest, we came into the weekend strictly wanting to relax. It was still a bit cold so many of these things weren’t available yet. But here is a list of activities that are offered on the island, for those of you seeking adventure.

Hiking

Rock Climbing

Stand-up paddleboarding

Exploring Cuevas del Drach ( caves )

ATV

Boat Tour

Shopping

I was honestly a bit unimpressed with the shopping in Mallorca. If you want big chain stores they have a strip of them in downtown Palma, but there were not as many cute boutiques as I had imagined. However, if you do make it down to Port Soller, then are a ton of great stores with woven bags, hats, and other beach necessities. Here is a list of the few stores I was able to find that have really cute stuff!

Beach Boutiques

Kidama, Puerto Portals

Vell Marí

Pink Flamingo Urban Spa & Boutique, Palma

KOS Beach Boutique, Illetas

Mimbreria Vidal* – really cute bag store!

If there is one thing I can emphasize it is to really try to see as much of the island as you can. Rent a car and go explore because each town is so different.

As a college student, I find myself frequently using cheap, budget airlines while traveling abroad in Europe. Studying abroad is filled with constant weekend getaways, exploring new cities and really embracing the culture you are immersed in. However, these cheap flights do tend to cause a lot of stress. Now that I have studied abroad twice, I have spent a good amount of time and energy dealing with these companies. Here is a breakdown of the positive and negatives that come with Budget airlines.

Ryanair

This is one of the most popular airlines to use while in Europe. It generally has the cheapest flights, but it comes with a lot of traps. If you book in advance, you can get a flight for as low as 14 euros. This airline, although it is not the best, does have a wide range of flights for a very good cost. However, they are very strict on bag policy and will frequently stop you at the gate and charge you a 25-40 euro fee. Flights are almost always delayed, and I have had multiple flights canceled. Be prepared for some issues.

Bag Policy

Free: One Personal Item: 40cm x 20cm x 25cm – 10kg (strict)

Available for Purchase:

Vueling

Hands down my favorite budget airline. Their hub is located in Barcelona, so they have a wide variety of flights offered in and out of Spain. An airline ticket comes with a free personal bag, as well as one carry on. The planes are generally in good, clean condition and they are not typically delayed as much as other airlines. If you are flying in Europe, I would recommend this airline over others.

Bag Policy

Free:

One Personal Item: 35x20x20 cm

One Carry-on: 10 kg and no larger than 55x40x20 cm

Available for Purchase:

Norwegian

Norwegian offers very cheap airline tickets to and from the US. They also offer cheapish flights between the EU, but they are generally a bit more expensive than other airlines. Norwegian provides the option for one free carry on bag and one small personal item. If you are traveling a bit further, with multiple checked bags, I would recommend buying their economy plus ticket. It comes with two free checked bags, super comfortable seats and two meals (depending on the flight time).

Bag Policy

Free:

One Personal Item: 25 x 33 x 20 cm

One Carry-on: 55 x 40 x 23 cm

Available for Purchase:

Checked bags: 1st bag from $12 – $47, 2nd bag from $20 – $86

Norwegian airlines bag policy differs from other airlines regarding the weight of bags, so make sure you check before your trip!

EasyJet

Easyjet is another very inexpensive airline that is popular for study abroad students and backpackers. This airline flys to over 30 countries and offers trips all over Europe. It is very convenient if you want to get somewhere for cheap. This airline, much like Ryanair, does come with a lot of extra hidden charges. Bag policy is taken very seriously and will cost you. Expect frequent delays and bad customer service. I have had multiple flights canceled, and have had to deal with the inconvenience of airport/airline employee strikes. Not my favorite airline, but for the cost, it is okay.

Bag Policy

Free:

One Personal Item: 56 x 45 x 25 cm (including handles and wheels)

Available for Purchase:

15kg bag

23kg bag

32kg bag

Wizz Air

This Hungarian airline is quite possibly the worst budget airline you could fly. I tried this airline while studying in Prague, since most of the flights are within eastern Europe, and it was a disaster. The bag policy is insanely strict, so be prepared to pay up to 40 euro for a cabin bag. The airline is low budget, so the seats are not very comfortable. Flights are frequently delayed and the customer service is poor. I wouldn’t recommend.

Bag Policy

Free:

One Personal Item: 40 x 30 x 20 cm

Available for Purchase:

Checked bags: 20 kg bag from €14-€60, 32 kg from €19 – €120

There are pros and cons with every airline you chose to fly. Make sure you give yourself enough time and try to pay close attention to their guidelines, to avoid getting charged extra fees.

Bruges, Belgium… this place is unlike any other city in Europe. It’s like walking through an ancient fairytale. The small town is filled with endless chocolate shops, cobbled streets, horse carriages, and cute canals. As one of the biggest tourist locations in Europe, it can get a bit crowded at times, so going in off months is suggested. Either way, the experience is worth it.

How to get there

Every 20 minutes or so a train runs from Brussels city center to Bruges. It only takes about an hour to get there and is a beautiful ride. The train station in Bruges is an easy 20-minute walk from the city center.

They also offer direct buses and trains from the Brussels South Charleroi airport. This takes about two hours.

Many other cities in Europe have transportation services that can be taken into Bruges.

My 6th waffle of the weekend.

Where to stay

Because I was only in Brussels for three shorts days, I decided I only had enough time to take a day trip to Bruges. At first, I was a little bummed but with the right planning, it was totally possible to see everything in one day.

If you have decided to stay overnight, here is a list of recommended hotels and Airbnbs that will not break the bank.

Hotel Academie

Hotel Aragon

Flanders Hotel

Hotel De Goezeput

St Christopher’s Inn at the Bauhaus (Hostel)

What to Do in Bruges

Attend local chocolatiers

It seems like every other shop is Bruges is a local chocolate shop. Each shop offers different variations of amazing chocolate. The shops smell delicious and the chocolates taste even better.

Take a canal tour

All through the city, beautiful canals stream through the streets. Depending on what time of year you go, they offer 30-minute canals tours. I didn’t get the chance to take one, but in the summertime, it is highly recommended.

Explore Museums, Art Galleries, and Cathedrals

Although this is a small town, it is filled with things to see. They offer specialty Museums which are very fun to walk through, as well as beautiful cathedrals filled with breathtaking artwork.

Some of these include:

Bruges Beer Experience

Choco-Story (Chocolate Museum)

Bierpaleis

Frietmuseum (Fry Museum)

Onze-Lieve-Vrouw ter Potterie

Anne’s Church

Drink Beer at a local Pub

Bruges really has a different feel than most cities I have traveled to. The bars are very authentic and offer unreal beer. Make sure you visit Delaney’s Irish Pub.

Walk through the beautiful Grote Markt

This is the main square in Bruges and is filled with colorful stores, restaurants and beautiful churches.

Belfry Tower

The Belfry Tower offers one of the most beautiful views in the city (maybe even in all of Europe.)

Food in Bruges

Old Chocolate House*

This place is a must. Hands down the best hot chocolate I have ever had in my life. The tiny little chocolate shop sells chocolate and other goods on the first floor and has a sit-down restaurant on top. The place offers 27 types of hot chocolate you can choose from, but the best is the simple classic hot chocolate. They bring over a tray of chocolate and cookies, as well as a soup bowl mug of steaming milk. You then stir in as much chocolate as you want until it is melted and ready to drink.

Un. Fucking. Real.

Delaney’s Irish Pub

Not only is this place a fun pub, but they also have a huge variety of really good food. The portions are huge and not as expensive as most restaurants in Bruges.

Bones

If you love ribs as much as I do, this is the place for you. They offer great ribs as well as traditional Belgium food. This place is a bit pricier but has really good food.

Chez Albert

This is one of the most popular Belgium waffle shops in Bruges. You can get waffles for as low as 2 euros and they are super gooey and delicious. They weren’t the best waffles I had all weekend, but definitely tasty.

13 Goals while Studying Abroad

I feel like just yesterday I decided to study abroad once again, but this time in BARCELONA. As I look back at my last experience I thought it might be fun to set goals for myself over the next four months. Studying abroad is about experiencing other cultures, meeting new people and learning new things. It is very easy to try and stay comfortable instead of stepping out and being brave. For this week’s blog post I have created a list of 12 things I want to achieve while I’m traveling around Europe.

1.) Try as many restaurants as possible.

I LOVE food so while I’m in Barcelona I want to try as many places as I can. Many times when I find a great restaurant, I get comfortable and don’t bother to go out and try more. When I am certain I like a place, I am hesitant to go somewhere new for a lesser experience. I really want to try and go out, try new foods and really take in all that I can during this semester. It also helps that my cousin is basically a professional foodie and sent me a huge list of all his favorite places. Get ready for lots of food pictures… cause they are coming!

2.) Take a cooking class in most cities I visit

Because I have traveled to Europe the past two summers, I have visited most of the main tourist attractions. Instead of paying money for museums I have already seen I want to try spending this time to learn how to cook local foods. I’m talking about tapas classes, pasta making courses and anything else those cities offer. This not only will be fun, but it will give me knowledge to bring home for the future.

3.) Figure out public transportation

When I was in Europe last summer I had a difficult time learning how to take the trams. One of my friends picked it up pretty fast so we all just followed along. These next four months I want to venture out and try and fully embrace to the Barcelona Metro system. In the last week I have started to understand it and now feel comfortable taking it places alone.

4.) Make friends with local students rather than other Americans studying abroad

This semester I am taking classes at two different locations. One is the abroad school that I go to and another school is a local business school. Of course I want to be friendly with everyone but one of my goals is to try and meet Spanish students that I wouldn’t be able to meet in the states. This might be hard due to the language barrier but I’m going to try my best. How dope would it be to make friends with students who live in Spain.

5.) Bring my camera around and take a lot of pictures

Over the summer I took a million pictures. You name it, I shot it. Because I was in a photography class and was forced to take and white about at least one picture from each day. Although it was sometimes annoying lugging my camera around, I was able to capture unbelievable experiences. During my first week in Barcelona I heard so many horror stories about students getting things stolen. This made me very hesitant about bringing my new Sony around. After a few days of getting zero pictures, I came to the realization that I paid a ton of money on a new camera so that I can take pictures, not so I can lock it up in my room. My goal is to try and bring it most places I go so that I can look back and have amazing photos.

6.) Try to speak as much Spanish as I can

One of the hardest parts of coming abroad is trying to communicate with people. This semester I am taking Spanish, so my goal (might be my most important goal) is to try to pick it up and use the language while I’m here. The only thing that makes this difficult is when I order or try to communicate in Spanish, most people answer back to me in English. Over time I feel like I’ll get better but this is for sure a priority goal for the next four months.

7.) Journal everything I experience

It’s been about two years now since I started journaling and it’s honestly been a game changer. I now have so many memories to go back and read. While I’m here I brought two journals, a travel journal, and a normal journal. My goal is to write in them at least 4 times a week. This might get a bit annoying at times but in a few years when I can go back and read details about this trip, it will be worth it.

8.) Stay in shape

For basically the first time in my life, I have gone over a month without working out. After the marathon, I tweaked my knee and was forced to give myself a break. However, now that I am here I plan on picking things back up and working out harder than before. What I have learned is that traveling abroad is honestly exhausting and having an hour to myself throughout the day is a game changer. To achieve this goal I joined one of the best gyms in Barcelona and I plan on going 3-4 times a week. I already made friends with the personal trainers so they are not afraid to push me around a bit. The gym also came with a free body comp, which allows me to track my body from the start of the trip to the finish.

9.) Go to hole in the wall bars rather than touristy clubs

In Barcelona, there are so many cool clubs and bars that are not common for tourists. Of course, there are the four main clubs but all of them are filled with American kids, getting drunk and pickpocketed. My goal this trip is to get out of my comfort zone and try new places with unknown faces. It’s honestly safer and will be a better experience.

10.) Study at different coffee shops

Since I have been here I have seen so many cute coffee shops all over the city. In just the short walk from my apartment to school, I have already found 6 or 7 that I love. Although this is an easy goal, I do have some hesitation. During my last semester abroad I worked a lot in coffee shops and ended up getting my computer hacked from logging onto the free Wi-Fi. I am currently trying to figure out a way to prevent this, but that won’t stop me from going there just to journal.

11.) Find local stores and boutiques

It doesn’t help that the first day I got to Barcelona was the day after King’s Day (a celebration in Spain that is similar to Christmas.) This meant that there were sales EVERYWHERE. This made is very tempting to go in and buy new clothes for the next four months. What I plan on doing however is saving all of the money that I would spend at chain stores, like ZARA and Mango, and saving up for something more expensive that I can only get in Spain. I already found a boutique jewelry store that I can’t help but stop in every time I leave the gym.

12.) Cook new foods that I am not used to making at home

If you don’t know this about me, I’ve turned into the biggest home-body. One of my favorite things to do is just drink wine and make yummy food. This is why one of my number one goals is to really expand the food that I cook. Over the past couple of months, I have started to cook a lot, but most of those foods are very healthy and contain the same main ingredients. While I’m here I plan on finding new recipes, learning new things in the kitchen and becoming comfortable with new food groups.

13.) Travel, Travel, Travel

In the past two years, I have visited Europe three times which means after this trip I probably won’t be returning for a while. In Europe especially it is so easy to travel from place to place so I am going to use this to my advantage and visit as many cities as possible. Although I do want to go somewhere at least every other weekend, I also think it is important to fully take advantage of Spain and see everything Barcelona has to offer. This being said my goal is to travel a ton while still enjoying my temporary home as much as possible.

So there it is, 13 goals for the next four months. I cannot wait to travel everywhere, document everything and keep you all in the loop.

ALSO, I apologize to my mom and dad because I just realized that not one of those goals had anything to do with school, haha oops.